Ohio State vs Boston College for finance: which is better for internships and recruiting?

The biggest practical tradeoff is scale versus proximity. Ohio State gives you a very large business ecosystem with a huge alumni base, more total recruiting activity, and strong access to Midwest employers, while Boston College offers a smaller, more targeted finance pipeline with obvious geographic advantages for Boston, New York, and East Coast internships. For finance specifically, the difference often comes down to whether you want broad on-campus options at a massive public university or a more concentrated East Coast network at a private school with a strong business identity.

Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business is well known and sends students into finance roles across corporate finance, banking, asset management, and consulting-related paths. Because the school is so large, there are many employers on campus and a lot of alumni in business, especially in Columbus, Chicago, and other Midwest markets. The flip side is that recruiting can feel more self-driven because you are competing within a very big student body, so standing out often depends on joining the right finance clubs, getting early experience, and using the alumni network aggressively.

Boston College tends to have the stronger edge in finance reputation per student, especially for traditional finance recruiting on the East Coast. Carroll School of Management has a solid brand, and BC’s alumni network is known for being active in finance, particularly in Boston and New York. Its location also helps during the school year, since semester-time internships and networking are easier when you are closer to major financial employers.

For internships and recruiting alone, I would give Boston College the advantage, especially if you are aiming at investment banking, asset management, or other front-office finance tracks in Boston or New York. Ohio State is still an excellent option and can absolutely get you to strong finance outcomes, but BC usually offers the more direct path and somewhat sharper finance signal. If cost is similar, BC has the recruiting edge for finance; if Ohio State is much cheaper, that difference is meaningful enough that OSU can be the smarter choice.